I think I am eligible for disability benefits. When is the best time to apply?

You should begin applying for disability benefits as soon as you are sure you have a disability that is causes you to be unable to work and that will last for at least one year or is expected to end in your death. For most people, the process of applying for and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits is a very long one. It is not unusual for it to take months or years to complete the process of being declared disabled by Social Security, and it is also not unusual to have your claim initially denied.

One or two appeals during the process are not uncommon, so be prepared to be patient. Social Security has a list of serious medical conditions called "Compassionate Allowances". If your condition is on this list, the time it takes to be approved for Social Security benefits is greatly decreased. In November 2010, Social Security added heart and organ transplants to the list of compassionate allowances, which already included conditions such as:

• Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
• Tay Sachs Disease
• Acute Leukemia
• Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)
• Inoperable bladder, bone, or breast cancer

You can apply for disability benefits on your own, or you can hire an attorney who has experience filing for these benefits on behalf of hundreds of clients. An attorney will ensure that your application is filled out correctly and completely so that there are no administrative delays in processing, and can even recommend physicians for a second opinion if your medical records do not appear to support your obvious disability.

Should an appeal be necessary, you will already have an attorney on your side who is familiar with your case and who can guide you through the appeals process.